Monday, 24 April 2017

Geffrye Museum

Hello

Welcome to the blog.

Whilst we're in London, we're off to visit the Geffrye Museum in Hoxton which started life in 1714 as almshouses built by the Ironmongers Company using a bequest from Sir Robert Geffrye, a former Mayor of London and two time Master of the Ironmongers Company. For two hundred years, homes for fifty poor pensioners were provided. When the area declined, the almshouses were relocated and the Council opened a Museum in 1914.

You wouldn't think you were in the middle of a busy, bustling area as soon as you step into the front garden. In fact the back garden is equally beautiful but not visited this time as it hadn't yet opened after the Winter.

I expect you are wondering what's inside! Well, you enter at the left had side of the building and are able to walk all the way through the almshouses viewing room settings from the 1600s right up until the turn of the century. Here are a few to give you an idea.

Hall 1630

Parlour 1745

Parlour 1790

Drawing Room 1830

You get a glimpse of the garden through the window of this room which has painted murals on its curvy walls. This room bypasses a library with many reference books.

In the middle of the building, is the old chapel, the memorial to Sir Robert Geffrye on the wall gives details of his life and achievements. He died aged 91 in 1703, no mean feat.

Drawing Room 1910

Living Room 1935

Living Room 1965

Loft Apartment 1998

Having reached the 2000s a modern extension gives extra displays plus a shop and cafe, which provides scrumptious home made fare.

I always mean to visit at Christmas as each room is decorated as they would have done in the period. I bet you have all spotted something from your past, maybe from the 60s rather than the 1600s! Ha Ha!

Have a look at the website for more details. It's a great place and free to visit too but for a small charge on certain days you can see an almshouse restored to how it would have been.

I'd love to visit this Museum one day. It's on a wish list of places along with the Horniman Museum and the Dulwich Picture Gallery. The room settings look wonderful and I bet it is fantastic at Christmas:)